What temp should towels be washed at


The Correct Temperature to Wash Towels

Created: Tuesday, 22 December 2020 15:06

There's nothing quite like stepping out of the shower or bath into a fluffy, clean towel. Keeping those towels soft can be another story. We've all been there — our favorite plush towels turn rough and limp after a few cycles through the washing machine.

You can prolong the life of your towels by learning how to properly wash them, using the correct temperature and settings the first time. 

What Temperature Should You Wash Your Towels — Cold? Warm? Hot?

Despite popular belief, washing your towels with cold water is the best way to keep them clean, soft and fluffy. 

Washing your towels in cold water will also help you save up to three-quarters of the energy you would have used had you chosen hot water. Cold-water washing can help you save money and extend the life of towels, clothes and bedding. On the other hand, hot water can contribute to shrinkage, destroy elastic, fade colors and weaken fibers.  

Which Setting Is Best to Wash Your Towels?

The most suitable setting to wash your towels depends on their fabric type. Since most towels are made from cotton, including the ones at Towel Super Center, we suggest setting the wash temperature to at least 40 degrees on the White/Colors cycle. 

Wash towels separately from the rest of your laundry and check to ensure there are no specific washing instructions on the towel labels.

More Towel Care Tips

Try the following tips and tricks to keep your towels soft and fluffy:

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How to wash towels and keep them fluffy

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Women holding pile of towels (Image credit: Shutterstock)

We all enjoy the feeling of stepping out of the shower into a plush, bath towel to keep us cozy. But, once they start losing their softness, and become scratchy on the skin, you’ll need to know how to wash towels and keep them fluffy. 

Often, our laundry habits can cause damage to the towel fibers, reducing their absorbency and softness over time. The simple task of knowing how to wash towels the right way will ensure they remain soft and fluffy for long. You don’t want to spend a fortune on Egyptian cotton towels, only to ruin them on laundry day.

So before you make this biggest laundry mistake, here’s how to wash towels and keep them fluffy for the longest time.  

Plus, if your towels are feeling quite rough as of late, here's how to make your towels feel soft and fluffy again. Want to make them look good? Here's how to fold towels.

1. Separate towels from other laundry 

Loading white towels into washing machine (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Always wash towels separately from other laundry items to avoid the risk of color run or fibers transferring to your expensive towels. Similarly, wash colored towels with similar shades.

TIP: Never wash brand new towels with old ones to avoid any color run between the fabrics.

2. Don’t overload your machine 

Packed washing machine with white towels (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Don’t overfill the washing machine, as thick or large-sized towels need ample space to move around the drum. This will ensure a proper clean, rinse and ventilation. If you pack too many towels inside, this can result in moisture pockets throughout the fabrics, which can lead to scratchy and stiff towels.

TIP: Always wash brand new bath towels before using them. New towels are often coated with silicone or other finishes that block absorbency. So washing before use will removes any fabric coatings, and allow the best absorbency. 

3. Use the correct amount of detergent 

Pouring laundry detergent (Image credit: Shutterstock)

While you may think that adding a little extra will make your towels cleaner, always stick to the right amount of washing detergent. If you use excess detergent, this starts to build up soapy residue that can make the towels less absorbent and stiff. Experts recommend using about half the suggested amount of detergent when washing towels to keep them soft and fluffy. 

TIP: Never use bleach-based products, even for removing stains. Not only can this fade the colors but destroy the fabric, making it lose its softness.

4. Skip the fabric conditioner 

Adding white vinegar into laundry tray (Image credit: Shutterstock)

We all want our laundry to smell fragrant after washing, but you shouldn't use fabric conditioner when washing towels. Similar to detergent, fabric conditioner contains oils and other chemicals causing a waxy build-up, reducing absorbency and softness. Instead, you can add ½  to one cup of white vinegar during the final rinse cycle. Distilled white vinegar is a great, natural fabric softener and will remove soapy residue on laundry.

TIP: If you want your towels to smell fresh, add a few drops of essential oils to the vinegar, like peppermint or lavender.

5. Wash at the right temperature 

Setting washing cycle temperature (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Always read the care labels on towels and check for specific washing temperature before throwing them into the machine. The ideal temperature to wash towels is around 40 degrees to ensure your towels stay fresh and feeling soft for longer. But a 60 degree wash will be better at killing germs and bacteria. If possible, use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle is just as good. 

TIP: Try to alternate between a 40-degree and 60-degree wash to ensure your towel is thoroughly clean and germ-free.  That way you're not washing towels on hot all the time, which may ruin the fabric and feel.

6. Give the towels a shake 

Pile of towels (Image credit: Shutterstock)

It may seem simple but giving your towels a good shake before and after washing can make all the difference to the softness. By shaking them out before washing, this will open up the fibers more, to allow the detergent to reach every spot, giving them an effective clean.  Shake again at the end of the drying cycle or before hanging them out to dry. This will loosen the fibers, and make the towels soft and fluffy. 

TIP: Never dry towels on radiators. The harsh heat will create a rough finish to your towels and make them stiff.  

How often should you wash your bath towels? 

Towels stored in bathroom (Image credit: Shutterstock)

The general rule of thumb is to wash bath towels (or change to a fresh one) at least once a week. This will prevent any germs or bacteria growing on your towel, and is more hygienic. After washing a towel, always let it fully dry before using again.  

When should you buy new towels?

If you have scratchy or non-absorbent towels, you’re probably best to throw those out. After all, they won’t dry properly and won’t feel super soft. Experts suggest you should buy new towels every two years.  


If you want more laundry tips, check out how to clean a washing machine for best performance. Or else you’ll end up wondering how to fix a shaky washing machine from wear and tear. If you do need to change or upgrade your washing machine though, be sure to check out the best washing machines or decide whether front load or top load would be suitable for your household.  

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As the Homes Content Editor, Cynthia Lawrence covers all things homes, interior decorating, and garden-related. She has a wealth of editorial experience testing the latest, ‘must-have’ home appliances, writing buying guides and the handy ‘how to’ features. 

Her work has been published in various titles including, T3, Top Ten Reviews, Ideal Home, Real Homes, Livingetc. and House Beautiful, amongst many.

With a rather unhealthy obsession for all things homes and interiors, she also has an interior design blog for style inspiration and savvy storage solutions (get rid of that clutter!). When she’s not testing cool products, she’ll be searching online for more decor ideas to spruce up her family home or looking for a great bargain!

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How to wash towels | Helpful Hints

Have you noticed that after washing your towels become hard and lose their former brightness? In this article, you will learn a few secrets on how to wash towels so that they stay soft for a long time.

A terry towel will regain its pleasant smell and retain its brightness when washed with baking soda, ammonia and laundry soap.

How to wash towels: machine wash

The main reason is the wrong choice of detergents, hard water, improper washing and drying. There are several important rules for washing towels. It is important to know how to bleach towels and what is the best laundry detergent to use.

Important! Before washing, carefully read the care instructions on the label of the towel.

Once you've washed and bleached your towels, it's important to dry them properly. Drying terry towels is best in the fresh air and in the shade - in the bright sun they can fade and become hard. To make towels fluff better, soak them in salted water for 30 minutes before drying, rinse well and wring out gently.

How to wash towels: hand wash

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Some people 900 02 they fear that after washing in the washing machine, terry towels will no longer be as pleasant to the touch and fluffy as before. Therefore, in our article we will talk about the old reliable method of how to wash terry towels by hand.

Washing of towels manually: Instruction

You will need:

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Fill a container suitable for washing with warm water. Dissolve the detergent to create lather.

  2. Add vinegar to soften water (200 ml per 10 liters of water).

  3. Soak terry towels in this solution for 40 minutes.

  4. After soaking, drain off the soap solution and rinse the towel under running water.

  5. Rinse the container thoroughly and refill it with clean, warm water.

  6. Dissolve a few tablespoons of salt in water. This will restore softness to the towel and make it fluffy.

  7. Rinse towel in saline solution.

  8. Drain and wring out the fabric.

  9. Hang towels to dry outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.

In our article, you learned how to wash towels so that they remain soft and bright for a long time. for many years.

Key Points

Useful tips on how to wash terry towels to keep them soft and shiny:

How to wash terry towels, at what temperature

Let's talk about how to wash terry towels so that the fabric retains its softness and acquires its original freshness? There are a few secrets that will come in handy for everyone - if you want the bathroom to impress with comfort, you will definitely like them!

Basic rules

Washing terry towels in the washing machine is easy! The material easily withstands mechanical stress, after which it acquires freshness and purity. But there are certain recommendations that must be followed in order to maintain the best properties of textiles

If you want to soften your terry towels in the wash so that they are not only clean but also fluffy, follow our tips! You will be pleasantly surprised by the result.

The first step is to choose the right detergent:

Now you need to figure out how many degrees to wash terry towels, what mode to set:

Important! To wash terry towels to be soft, you need to do it right - load the drum by a maximum of two-thirds. If the machine is overfilled, the fluff will collapse and become stiff.

Do you know what mode to wash terry towels in? We advise you to first study the tag placed by the manufacturer. It has detailed information about the rules of care - whether and how to wash the product in the machine. We gave tips on how to get rid of the smell of towels in another article.

It's easy to figure out at what temperature to wash terry towels - there is one secret that will lift the loops without much difficulty. As a result, you will get the most delicate material that is pleasant to wipe yourself with:

To make terry towels soft after washing, proper drying will help - this process must be approached with all responsibility:

  • Flatten the product and place it on a dryer or a line. The room should be dry and warm, provide fresh air;
  • Do not hang the fabric on the radiator and do not try to dry it with a hair dryer - you will only make it worse. Natural drying at 20-25C will help to give softness;
  • Avoid direct sunlight.
  • We told you how to wash terry towels - there are few recommendations, they are simple:

    If trouble occurs, you are faced with the rigidity of the washed material - do not be discouraged! We have a way out! In addition, we will tell you how to properly wash a sleeping bag in a washing machine.

    Why does the fabric become stiff?

    We discussed in detail how to wash terry towels in the washing machine - save a small instruction so you don't forget the important rules. Next in line is a question that requires detailed study!

    Have you noticed that clean clothes can be unpleasant to the touch? Why are terry towels hard after washing, what can be the reason?

    Useful: weight of dry laundry for washing - table.

    Why terry towels become hard after washing, figured it out! Is it possible to restore softness at home? There are several products that will straighten the villi to their original position and make the textile pleasant to the touch:

    Do terry towels need to be ironed after washing to soften them? This is not recommended - the pressure of the hot sole of the iron will crush the loops and lead to the opposite result. You can use the steam mode and treat the fibers with hot steam.


    Learn more